Related items on this website:Guestbook message from someone who served on this ship as well as D/S Ragnhild during the war (Jack Myers). He's looking for a Canadian shipmate, Ronald Bacon. I have since been contacted by Ronald's daughter, who tells me he's still alive (2010). I gave her the address Jack left in 2002, but unfortunately, too much time has gone by and she was unable to contact him (Ronald also served on Thordis).Warsailor Stories - Edward Driscoll's story (he served on Cetus during the war).

* Checking Page 2 of the docs received from the Norwegian archives, we see that Cetus left Methil Roads on Dec. 24 and arrived Oban on the 27th, so it it looks like she did not sail in any of the first 3 EN convoys, but in EN 46 on Dec. 24. The document adds that she left Oban again on the 29th, but returned that same day, leaving again on Dec. 31 for Sydney, C.B.

For information on voyages made in between those mentioned here, please see the documents received from the National Archives of Norway and A. Hague's record above. Follow the convoy links provided for more details on them. Some include the Commodore's notes and/or report, and several Norwegian ships took part.

Cetus, in ballast for Blyth, is listed as sailing in Convoy HN 15 from Norway to the U.K. in Febr.-1940 (according to A. Hague, she had initially started out in Convoy HN 14, but had returned to port). On March 11, A. Hague has included her in the U.K.-Norway Convoy ON 19, and later that month we find her in Convoy HN 20 from Norway, again in ballast for Blyth, where she arrived on March 23 - see Page 1 of the archive documents.

The external website that I've linked to at the end of this page has Cetus in Convoy OA 184, which departed Methil on July 14-1940 and dispersed on the 18th. Her destination is given as Sydney, C.B. (Cape Breton), station 44. The Norwegian Grado is also listed; A. Hague has also added Brisk and Eva in this convoy, however, please note that he does not name Cetus in OA 184, but instead has her in Convoy OA 188, which left Methil on July 22 and dispersed July 23, Cetus arriving Sydney, C.B. independently on Aug. 3 - ref. link provided in the table above. Athene, Dux and Stirlingville are also included. The date for the latter convoy fits better with the information found on Page 1. Cetus returned to the U.K. later that month in the Sydney, C.B. portion of Convoy HX 65, bound for Tyne with a cargo of pit props, arriving there Sept. 3. As can be seen when following the link, this convoy lost several ships (strangely, Cetus is listed among the ships in the Halifax section, but from the archive document, it's clear that she joined from Sydney, C.B.)

A month later, A. Hague has her in Convoy OA 223, with destination Bridgewater, N.S. This convoy dispersed on Oct. 5, and going back to the archive document mentioned above, we see that she arrived Bridgewater on Oct 19, departing again for Halifax on Oct. 25, with arrival Halifax the next day. She now joined Convoy HX 84, which left Halifax for the U.K. on Oct. 28, and in which Jervis Bay was sunk when attacked by Admiral Scheer (Krancke) on Nov. 5. Jervis Bay had ordered the convoy to disperse, and Cetus made it to safety, as did the other Norwegian ships, Hjalmar Wessel, Solfonn and Varøy. Please follow the link to HX 84 for cruising order; there's also a report on San Demetrio's incredible story. These events are described in detail via the external link to "Jervis Bay" at the end of this page. Solfonn and Hjalmar Wessel had both seen an unknown motor vessel passing in front of the convoy from the south to the north earlier that day; this turned out to be the British M/S Mopan which sailed independently, and which encountered Admiral Sheer and was sunk before she could pass on a radio warning to the convoy about the imminent danger. According to "The Allied Convoy System", Arnold Hague, the British Beaverford (cargo of 8425 tons food and general) lost 77 people when sunk, Fresno City (8129 tons maize) lost 1, Kenbane Head (general cargo) 23 dead, Maidan (general and MT) 91 dead and Trewellard (7800 tons steel, 12 aircraft) lost 16. Cetus, cargo of pit props for Hull, stopped at Oban on Nov. 11, arrived Hull on the 20th.

Going back to the external link at the end of this page, we find Cetus listed, again with destination Sydney, C.B., in Convoy OB 263, leaving Liverpool on Dec. 23-1940, dispersed on the 27th. Brasil, Garonne, Hjalmar Wessel and Primero are also listed, while Egda, Karlander and Sneland I were scheduled but did not sail - A. Hague has also included Leikanger. However, he does not mention Cetus in this convoy; he has her in Convoy OB 267 instead - ref. link in the table above. This convoy, which also included Charles Racine (Commodore Vessel), Danio and Thode Fagelund, originated in Liverpool on Dec. 30 and dispersed on Jan. 2-1941, Cetus arriving Sydney, C.B. independently on Jan. 14. Again, these dates fit better with the information from the Norwegian archives - see Page 2.

A. Hague has her returning to the U.K. the following month in Convoy HX 110, departing Halifax on Febr. 19-1941. As will be seen when clicking on the link to my page about this convoy, only the Bermuda portion is currently available there, but the page will be updated with A. Hague's listing - see ships in all HX convoys; other Norwegian ships were Brasil, Charles Racine, Drammensfjord, Ferncourt, Leiv Eiriksson, Skiensfjord, Stigstad and Torvanger, some of which joined with the Bermuda portion. Cetus had a cargo of pit props, sailing in station 12. She stopped at Loch Ewe on March 9, continuing to Methil Roads that same day, then on to Tyne, where she remained for quite a long time, before proceeding to Middlesbrough on Apr. 5 and from there to Loch Ewe. She subsequently made a voyage from Loch Ewe to Reykjavik, having joined Convoy OB 311, though A. Hague has attached a note saying "probably this convoy". OB 311 originated in Liverpool on Apr. 16, and also included Fido (also bound for Iceland), Innerøy and Norefjord. From Reykjavik, where she had arrived on Apr. 19, Cetus is said to have made an independent voyage to Halifax in May (again, see also Page 2), then headed back to the U.K. on June 26 in Convoy HX 135 from Halifax, bound for London with lumber in station 11.

In Aug.-1941 we find her in the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 5, originating in Liverpool on Aug. 6, dispersed on the 14th, Cetus arriving Sydney, C.B. independently on Aug. 19. The following month she travelled to Reykjavik in the slow Convoy SC 44*, in which Barbro was sunk - follow the link for details. Ada, Bollsta, Borgfred, Carrier, Gudvin, Hjalmar Wessel, Iron Baron, Lago, Marita, Rolf Jarl, Sirehei, Sneland I, South Africa and Spero are also listed in this convoy, which left Sydney, C.B. on Sept. 11 and arrived Liverpool on Sept. 30, having lost 4 merchant ships, see my page about Barbro; Cetus (cargo of lumber, station 13), had detached to Iceland on Sept. 22, arriving the next day, later proceeding to London. In Nov.-1941 she's listed in the westbound Convoy ON 37, which originated in Liverpool on Nov. 15. Cetus joined from Loch Ewe, taking station 85 and arrived St. John's, N.F. independently on Dec. 2. Accordingto A. Hague, the convoy had been dispersed on Nov. 30, but the original convoy document gives dispersal date as the night of Nov. 23/24 (due to bad weather). The Commodore's narrative is also available. Having made a voyage to St. John, N.B., Cetus proceeded to Halifax and her last Trans-Atlantic voyage that year was made in Convoy HX 167, departing Halifax on Dec. 27, cargo of flour, station 22. Her voyages in this period are shown on Page 3.

In Febr.-1942 she joined Convoy ON 65*, together with Arthur W. Sewall, Bralanta, Egda, G. C. Brøvig, Hardanger, Kaldfonn, Kollbjørg, Mirlo, N. T. Nielsen Alonso, Nueva Granada, Stiklestad, Tankexpress, Troubadour and Vav. This convoy originated in Liverpool on Febr. 8 and dispersed on the 19th, Cetus arriving Halifax independently on Febr. 24 (having started out from Loch Ewe on the 8th). She headed back across the Atlantic on Apr. 5 in the slow Convoy SC 78 from Halifax, cargo of steel and pulp for Swansea, where she arrived, via Belfast Lough, on Apr. 26. She later returned to Halifax with Convoy ON 97*, which originated in Liverpool on May 22 and arrived Halifax on June 5, Cetus continuing to Sydney, C.B. that same day - see Page 4. She had again been in the company of several Norwegian ships, namely B. P. Newton, Brant County, Brimanger, Gallia, Norfjell and Nortind, as well as the Panamanian Norvik, which is listed under the N's of this website because she had Norwegian managers. Cetus subsequently joined Convoy SC 89 from Sydney, C. B. on June 26, cargo of lumber for Sharpness, where she arrived July 13, heading back to Halifax later that month in Convoy ON 116*. This convoy originated in Liverpool on July 25, and also had Bollsta, Bur, Ledaal, Snar and Vanja in its ranks, and again Norvik. On Sept. 19 we find Cetus in station 42 of Convoy SC 101 from Halifax (judging from the info found on the archive document, she was bound for London), later joining Convoy ON 144* in order to travel to New York. This convoy originated in Liverpool on Nov. 7 and included Bencas (joined from Halifax), Bestik, Borgfred, Ingertre, Minister Wedel, Norlom, Orwell, Suderøy and Titanian, while Eglantine, Potentilla, Montbretia (sunk - follow link for details) and Rose are named among the escorts - see ON convoy escorts. Cetus' subsequent voyages are listed on the archive document and in A. Hague's record above.

Cetus returned to the U.K. in the slow convoy SC 118*, which left New York on Jan. 24-1943, and also included Annik,Daghild (sunk, follow link for more info), Bestik, Glarona, Grey County, Maud, Norbryn, Petter II and Sommerstad. In March she's listed as bound for Halifax in station 93 of the first convoy in the ONS series, Convoy ONS 1*, which originated in Liverpool on March 15. Bestik and Grey County were again in company, as were Gausdal, Grado, Mathilda and Petter II (Vice Commodore), and Eglantine, Potentilla and Rose are again named among the escorts (see ONS convoy escorts). Cetus was scheduled to return in Convoy SC 129 from Halifax on May 2 (in which Grado was sunk), but instead joined the next convoy on May 11, SC 130, returning to Halifax in June with Convoy ONS 10*, station 112. Other Norwegian ships in this convoy, which originated in Liverpool on June 8, were Acasta, Fjordheim, Grey County, James Hawson, Mathilda, Novasli, Ravnefjell, Sirehei and Titanian. Page 5 has Cetus' voyages in this period; as will be seen, she now remained in Halifax for quite some time, before proceeding to Sheet Harbour on Aug. 3, then returned to Halifax in order to join the slow Convoy SC 140 on Aug. 21, sailing in station 64 (next to the Norwegian Norvarg). She had a cargo of pulp for Grimsby, where she arrived Sept. 8, and a month later she again crossed the Atlantic, this time in Convoy ONS 20* which originated in Liverpool on Oct. 9 and also included Arosa, Bestik, Elg, Iron Baron, Snar, Solstad, Tercero, Tropic Star and Vinland. Cetus arrived her destination Sheet Harbour on Oct. 26, having started out from Oban Oct. 10. On Nov. 19 she's listed, with wood pulp for London, in Convoy SC 147 from Halifax (having been cancelled from the previous convoy on Nov. 6, SC 146). As will be seen, this was her last North Atlantic voyage for a while (it'll also be noticed, when going back to the archive document, that she spent a long time at Hull, where she had arrived Dec. 26-1943).

According to the external website that I've linked to below, Cetus was scheduled for Convoy OS 66/KMS 40 in Jan.-1944, but instead joined OS 68/KMS 42 the following month, voyaging from Aultbea to Lisbon in station 25. This convoy, in which Lisbeth, Novasli, Ragnhild and Snar also took part, left Liverpool on Febr. 12 and split up on the 24th, the Gibraltar portion (KMS 42*) arriving there on the 25th, while the OS portion continued to Freetown, with arrival March 5. As already mentioned, Cetus was bound for Lisbon, where she arrived on Febr. 25 - again, see Page 5. In March she sailed back to the U.K. in Convoy SL 152/MKS 43, voyage Lisbon for Mersey with sardines, cork and Wolfram, joining with the MKS portion* from Gibraltar. SL 152 had started out in Freetown on March 13, joined up with the Gibraltar portion (MKS convoy) on March 23, the combined convoy arriving Liverpool on Apr. 4. Astrid, Lisbeth, Rena, Slemmestad and Snar are also listed. At the beginning of May that year Cetus can be found in Convoy OS 76/KMS 50, voyage Altbea-Tunis with coal in station 44, sailing right in front of the Norwegian Boreas. Snar was again in company. This convoy originated in Liverpool on May 2 and split up on May 13, the KMS portion* arriving Gibraltar on May 15, while the OS portion continued to Freetown, with arrival there on the 22nd. Cetus was in the KMS convoy and arrived Oran on May 16 - see Page 6.

She returned to the U.K. in June with Convoy SL 161/MKS 52, again joining with the MKS portion*, bound for Barry, station 112. The SL portion (in which Karmt took part) had started out in Freetown on June 11, joined up with the MKS convoy from Gibraltar on June 22, the combined convoy arriving Liverpool on July 2; Cetus arrived Bristol the next day. Tunsberg Castle is named among the escorts (see MKS convoy escorts). The following month, we find Cetus in Convoy OS 86/KMS 60, which originated in Liverpool on Aug. 10 and split up on Aug. 21, the Gibraltar portion arriving there on the 23rd, the OS convoy arriving Freetown on Aug. 30. She was on a voyage Belfast-Lisbon with coal in the KMS portion* and arrived her destination on Aug. 22, having left Belfast Lough Aug. 11. She went back to the U.K. again in Convoy SL 169/MKS 60, the SL portion of which had started out from Freetown on Aug. 29, joined up with the MKS convoy from Gibraltar (in which Cetus sailed, voyage Huelva-Avonmouth with a cargo of potash) on Sept. 10 and arrived Liverpool on the 17th; Cetus arrived Barry Roads and Bristol the day before. Tigre is also included in the MKS portion, while Norbryn sailed in the SL convoy. Direct links to all these convoys have been provided within the Voyage Record above.

Trans-Atlantic voyages were resumed at the end of that month, when she joined the westbound Convoy ONS 33*, which originated in Liverpool on Sept. 29-1944 and included Chr. Th. Boe, Dagrun (returned), Drammensfjord, Mui Hock, Para, Peik, Rena, Romulus and Titanian. Cetus arrived Sydney, C.B. on Oct. 12, and the following month she's listed in the slow Convoy SC 160, bound for Sharpness with lumber, joining with the Sydney, C. B. portion, the convoy having started out in Halifax on Nov. 2. Tunsberg Castle is again named among the escorts - see SC convoy escorts (see also Buttercup). Cetus arrived her destination on Nov. 19 (Page 6), and later headed in the other direction again with Convoy ONS 39*, which originated in Liverpool on Dec. 28 and arrived Halifax on Jan. 13-1945. As usual, she had been in the company of other Norwegian ships, namely Annik, Ferncliff, Germa, Mui Hock, Novasli and Tercero.

On Febr. 16-1945 we find her in the slow Halifax-U.K. Convoy SC 167, bound for Bristol with pulp and paper; she arrived Portishead on March 3 (Novasli was sunk - follow the link for details).

The rest of her voyages are shown on Page 7 and Page 8 (to Apr.-1946, when she arrived Norway), with convoy information for some of them in the Voyage Record above.

For more information on all the other Norwegian ships named on this page, please see the alphabet index below, or go to the Master Ship Index.

POST WAR:

Became the Danish Lise in the early 1950's, then German J. C. Ertel, Gyda, Gyda C. Broken up in 1979.

Related external links:OB (& OA) convoys and OS and OS/KMS Convoys - As will be be seen, Cetus is listed in OA 184 and OB 263 (but probably did not sail in either), and is mentioned in OS 66/KMS 40. See also the links provided within the Voyage Record.

There was an American vessel by the name Cetus during the war (943 gt), scuttled at Aparri, Cagayan River on Dec. 10-1941; believed to be renamed Hokuhi Maru (U. S. Merchant Vessel War Casualties of World War II, Robert M. Browning Jr.).

The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Nortraships flåte", J. R. Hegland, E-mail from R. W. Jordan and misc. - (ref. My sources).